Tear Drops Under The Sakura Tree
by Hayashi Azuma
Summary: After a long time, Sasuke goes on a journy to search for someone who is stronger and wiser than he is, in hopes that they will train him. But what he finds may make him rethink about his choices in his life and start to undo the wrongs that he has done.
1. Chapter 1

Note: This takes place in what I think you'd call an 'Alternate Universe'

Enjoy!

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"There is nothing left to teach you." Orochimaru looked up from his chair and stared at his most prized student. Not once had he ever shown emotion, not in all the time Orochimaru had known him. Not one emotion, all with the exception of rage. But one is aloud to get away with that once in a while, right?

So when his most prized student slightly raised his eyebrows at such a statement, it was a surprise. And yet; it was to be expected.

"Nothing." It wasn't a question; it was only confirming that there was, in fact, nothing left for Orochimaru to teach him.

"Nothing." Restated Orochimaru. He sighed. "Sasuke-sama- I have lived a long life. A long life with many moments, many battles, many discoveries, and much anguish. As I am sure- you must have sensed it- I am dying. Uchiha Sasuke-sama, my most prized student, I leave the future of the Sound Village, and the leading of all new Jutsu to you." Orochimaru stared at him intently. "The future is what you make it, Sasuke-sama. Never for get that."

He stayed quite for a while, and then said "So you are saying that _I_ have mastered every jutsu that you know? And now you can not teach me anymore, because that is all you know?" This must be very shocking to him, to first confirm that there was nothing left to be taught, then to ask, which was just another way of confirming that Orochimaru's statement was true.

Orochimaru lowered his head into his old, wrinkly, snake-like hands. "I am ashamed to say it, Sasuke-sama, but yes I-" Orochimaru's body was split into a million pieces, blood spurting everywhere- even on Sasuke's hands, in the jutsu pose.

"Then I have no use for you," said Sasuke, turning to leave. "If you have nothing left for me to learn."

He stepped outside of the, now _late Orochimaru's_ hovel of a home, into the dark maze of a village, known as the Sound Village. Few lived here, and none lived near by.

'_Good,'_ thought Sasuke. _'Then no one will know. But then, who does care what happens to these urchins?' _He headed towards the shacks known as houses to finish what Orochimaru had started. As he was close enough to the shacks, he saw someone outside, minding his own business. Minding it until he noticed Sasuke. He stood still and bowed, "Hello, Sasuke-sama." Sasuke walked towards him, not saying anything. "I heard that you eliminated Itachi, and the Akatsuki. You are, indeed, truly powerful."

"…I am." And as swiftly as he had done with Orochimaru, he killed the other Sound Ninja, with more blood spurting out from another helpless weakling. "Which is why," Sasuke noticed that others had seen what happened and were starting to pick up weapons or start hand signs "none of you will be a challenge to me." And in seconds…the whole Sound Village had been enilated.

"Now that they are all dead, it is finally time to destroy this hell hole. Not a trace should ever be seen again." He smirked. He put his hands together and made another hand sign and exhaled a powerful blast of fire. "Because then," He watched the tiny fire he had created scarf down all the tasty treats around itself self, "_I_, shall be the most powerful and feared being." The tiny fire was growing rapidly, and Sasuke wondered how long it would be before the whole village would be ablaze, and would devour all the terrible history that was held within. He didn't have to wait long, for the fire had _accidentally_ touch the explosives that were so _conveniently_ placed near were the fire was first created.

And so…

The most prized student of the Sound Village silently walked away, out of the flaming darkness and into the bright sun. Sasuke squinted. It's not easy for a lone shadow to be in the sun.

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So what'd ya think?

I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with the whole

'genjutsu' jutsu' etc.

So should I continue?


	2. The New Purpose

_**The New Purpose**_

He had no place in particular he wanted to go. He wandered around the thick forest that had grown and had expanded vastly on top of the once Sound Village aimlessly, not caring where his feet would take him. To be honest, he wasn't sure what he should do with his life, with Itachi, Orochimaru, and the whole Sound Village gone. But one thing was for certain; he would keep training and become stronger, and stronger. _'What a foolish thing to say,'_ Sasuke thought, thinking back to when he started to destroy the Sound Village and had said '_I_, shall be the most powerful and feared being'. _'Just because the Sound Village, Orochimaru and…__**him**__ are now deceased, does not mean that I am now made the most powerful and feared being on the face of this earth. There __**must**__ be someone out there who is __**stronger**__ than me, who knows __**something**__ that I do not.'_ Sasuke tried to think of someone who would be that person, but in the end, no one came to mind. "Then that shall be my new life's purpose," Sasuke said aloud. "I shall find someone stronger than me, with more knowledge, and make them train me…!"

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yeah, I know it's corny-cheesyz-stupid.

But being perfectly honest, this is the 1st fiic that I've started to take very siriously.

I'd apperishiate a BETA.

yeah, i didn't spell that right either. hehhehhehheh

ps: i don't own Naruto in anyway! duh.


	3. The Five Sences

**I don't own Naruto! Or any other Anime! who on this website does? hahaha...**

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_**The Five Senses **_

So Sasuke crossed many forests and wild rivers, treacherous mountains and deep gorges, vast plains, and even an ocean of some sort, thinking of nothing else but to find this knowledgeable person in his mind's eye. Sasuke imagined this knowledgeable person to be living alone and far away from society and to be old, Along the way, he avoided as many towns and villages as possible; someone may recognize him, and report him to the authorities. It wasn't that Sasuke was afraid of getting arrested, or being put to death, but the whole trial would be tediously long. And why give yourself away and die when you have another purpose in you life?

Being alone wasn't a problem. When Sasuke was being honest with himself, he…liked it. No one was there to pester him about world domination this, new discovers that, jib-jab and flim-flam. For the first time in so many years, that Sasuke had lost count, he was able to think _freely_. Or, enjoy the satisfaction of not thinking at all. Enjoying all the natural sounds around him, such as the running of the wild river, or the small trickle of the stream. The songs the birds sang, the symphonies the bugs would play. The enormous crash of thunder, the soft sound of grass swaying on other grass. It felt so _different_ and _unnatural_ to Sasuke, who could only remember the sounds of the Sound Village. Such the sounds were usually fire crackling, footsteps echoing off the walls, grunts, sweat dripping from a ninja's face, kunia's soaring and clashing through the air. It donned on Sasuke how sensitive his ears had gotten. And not just his ears…

But all of his five senses.

He could feel the things that he couldn't feel before. He could feel the natural wind blowing ever so softly on his body, the grass tickling his feet from below where he stood. When he swam across that ocean of some sort, he could feel the beyond freezing sea water splatter and try to consume his body. He could feel the sea salt sprayed on his face. And when he was in the plains, he could feel the grass like plants swarming around his body, too, just like the ocean. It felt like no matter where he ran to in those plains, the plains always knew where _he_ was, because _they _could feel him.

And he could taste this new world that existed outside the Sound Village, too. He could taste the life of the many forests that he had sprinted and walked through. It was so simple; all he had to do was to open his mouth and slightly extended his tongue out. He could taste those assorted green leaves, the air- so delicious! Fresh new life bursting out from all directions- so different from the tastes of the Sound Village. The Sound Village tasted like…sweat. Darkness. Blood. Secrets. And the lies that were always being cascaded upon the ninjas. Sasuke closed his eyes, opened his mouth and ever so slightly, and extended his tongue outside of his mouth. Today, it tasted like…sweet, green grass. Hints of salt, the ever present life, trees…and what was that last taste? The rain?

Sasuke withdrew his tongue from the outside world and entrapped it ounce more. His eyes were still closed. He breathed; inhaling through his nose. It was the rain that he had tasted before. He knew when he smelled the rain. It was difficult to identify the rain when he tasted it through the atmosphere, but Sasuke still loved trying to. _'I will learn to taste the rain'_ thought Sasuke. _'One of these days…maybe when I find this knowagable person, who knows so much more than I do.'_ Sasuke exhaled, then inhaled again. Smell. It was different from taste. Smelling was what could be inhaled on the outside, like when one smells a flower. Tasting was what could be smelled on the _inside_, like if one were to_ taste_ or _eat _a flower. Very different. He could smell the earth. All of it; the whole breathing being that it was. Sasuke was starting to appreciate it more, since he was now starting to realize the wonderful things it provided him with. Food, water, something to run on, new things to learn, places wroth seeing…For what Sasuke knew, this list was -indeed- never-ending.

And then he felt it; the first rain drop. _One, two, three_- the pace was slow- _four, five, six, seven_- it was beginning to quicken- _eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fithteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighte_- the pace of the rain was too fast, and now there were too many to count. Sasuke opened his eyes and looked at his new surroundings. The rain was blurring his sight, but he didn't care- he _enjoyed_ it. His surroundings were a mix of colors that he thought he had seen somewhere before, but couldn't quite remember where. It was meshes of greens, blues, grays, and- _BOOM! FLASHES OF LIGHT!_ Lightning. Thunder. Thunderstorm. When Sasuke had emerged from the darkness and into the new world of light, this had become his favorite wonder; to see spears of light zigzag down toward the ground, so fast- _'Where does it come from?'_ Sasuke had often pondered. _'How is it created? It looks like my Chidori- but it's different.'_ Like a curious child, Sasuke _needed_ to know the answers to his questions, but more importantly, he wanted nothing more than to _touch_ the lightning. Isn't that what all curious children do when they find something interesting?

He tore his feat away from where they had been planted and sprinted up the highest tree available. He reached the very top with ease and eagerness, and leaned away from the tree as far as possible…but still, even when he reached out his arm, his hand, stretched out his finger tips until it hurt…even when he stayed in that position for the longest time, getting drenched in the rain, getting his ears deafened by the roars of thunder, waiting for his moment to come…he could not touch the lightning.

The flashes of lighting and roars of thunder were going away, in another direction, and the rain decided to follow it, leaving Sasuke and his surrounding drenched. Sasuke moved from his position, and jumped down to the ground, landing gracefully. He was a little disappointed, but he knew there would be other chances. Unlike the Sound Village- where such an act would be seen as unexectptable and would be killed for it- this was a new world of light, where Sasuke could do as he pleased, and feel the freedom he never knew existed, even through his five senses.

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I know it's not any good, but it's kinda fun to write in this style. :)


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